Creative uses for stale film?

Digging though my freezer I found a few rolls of film that have probably been in there for 10 years! Amongst them was a few rolls of
TMZ3200. I know TMZ3200 is supposed to fog even in a freezer due to
natural radioactivity and cosmic rays, so my question is does anyone have any creative ("artistic") photographic uses for stale film like this? High Key Shots? Soft focus shots?

I typically use any slightly out of date film for testing (lens sharpness or distortion, focus tests, how slow can I hand hold a lens, tripod stability with
long lenses etx.), but I wouldn't even use fresh TMZ3200 for that! Really stale film gets used for camera loading tests or for use in
a camera with TTL flash metering off the film for flash metering tests (without film in the camera TTL metering is off the pressure plate, which is black!).

Apart from thowing it away (probably the wisest choice), what do you do with stale film?

Answers

Hmmmm.....

Good question Bob. I wish I had an answer. But if anyone is interested
in two rolls of Ektar 25 in 120 size drop me a line and I'll get it on
the way. I haven't kept it refrigerated, but it has been in my house
for two years. Great stuff last time I used it but no guarantees now.

I think I have made the most use of stale E-6 film (including
outdated emulsions like Kodak EPZ 100X)by cross-processing. Cross
processing is when you process E-6 film through C-41 chemistry. Most
labs will do it for you, provided that they know that it will not
harm their color line. The results vary tremendously from one
emulsion to the next, and just as much by exposure, but they
supersaturate the existing colors and blow out highlights. Shadows
are almost always too difficult to print, so this is a technique for
low contrast. Color balance is nowhere near normal, but hey, even if
you don't print from your own color negs, it sure looks impressive.
Of course, your mileage may vary, but why spend 9 bucks a roll on
some ektachrome 100SW when it feels so much better to know that you
spent $1.99 in the bargain box and can acheive the same expected
results. The films I recommend are (preferentially ordered) E100X
(EPZ), E100S, and EPX (64X) rated at ASA 120-160 and ASA 80
(respectively). The 1/3-2/3 underexposure sufficiently thins out the
negative so that they are not too bulletproof (and thus much higher
contrast). Films to avoid are neutrals like EPN, anything Fuji and
punchy, high speed films (cross processing adds considerable
graininess) and Tungsten balanced film and Kodachrome (anything non-E-
6, of course).

Not too creative but with the increase in fog you may find the 3200
will work as a "pushcrazy" film, to date i haven't had much luck
pushing 3200 to 12.5k or 25.k but....adding some base fog would have
definitely improved my tests with fresher film. I've been thinking
about this problem for a coupla weeks but now that you've got the
materials...please Bob! would you do a quick clip test for me...rate
a few frames at 12.5 and 25.k and proc in tmax rs stock for 25 minutes
at 70 deg.f.? please? just kidding but before you throw it out...you
could send it to me. Anyone ever hear of pre-aging/fogging 3200 in the
microwave oven? desperately pushy and i don't want to hyper the film!

If you want to "pre-fog" TMZ3200 to get better shadow detail when
pushed, why not just do a double exposure? The first one of a gray
card at, say, 3 stops under meter reading, the second one at the meter
reading (for whatever speed you chose, e.g. EI 12800). I think that
might be a bit more reproducible then aging the film for 10 years in
the freezer (or putting it in the microwave!), plus you can play
around with the pre-exposure level until you get the effect you want.

If you want to shoot fast, just pre-expose each frame at the 3 stop
under pre-fog, then reload the roll and shoot at full speed. With
cameras
like the EOS Elan and up, the film transport IR sensors give very good
frame registration.

Well, even if you don't have double exposure capability, you can still
run the film through the camera twice. The first time you shoot for
-3 stops uniform pre-fog, the second you shoot at "normal" ISO 12800
exposures. You just have to respool the take up roll back onto another
spool, which isn't all that tricky. Frame registration might be a
little off (depending on the camera), but you have plenty of
negative area in 120, so that shouldn't be a huge problem.